110 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



it with certainty as a species. It comes in comparatively small 

 numbers into the market with us, and is not a special favourite. 

 For the rest, the previous remarks on the small Amazons apply 

 also to this. 



CHAP. XXV.— THE EED-FEONTED AMAZON. 



Psittacus vittatus, Bdd. 



Red-fronted Amazon (Ger., Rothstirnige Porioriko-Aviazone, hlos 

 Portoriko - Amazone, rothstirniger Kurzfliigelpajmgei ; Fr., 

 Perroqiiet Amazone a front rouge, Perroquet de St. Dominge ; 

 Dut., Roodvoorhoofd Amazone Papegaai) — Description. 



This species also was taken to be the female of another kind. 

 It was described by Boddaert in the year 1783, but until of 

 late nothing was known of it. It has a scarlet band on the 

 forehead ; all the upper part of the body is of a dark grass- 

 green, each feather having a broad black tip ; the coverts of the 

 primaries and bend of the wing dull blue ; the edge of the 

 wing mostly green ; the outer feathers of the tail have a red 

 spot at the base ; spot on the throat red ; all the lower part 

 of the body light-green, on the front of the neck and breast 

 each feather edged with black ; belly and lower coverts of 

 the tail yellow-green ; beak horn-grey ; upper half of beak 

 greyish-yellow at the base ; cere white ; eyes brown or reddish- 

 yellow ; eye cere whitish ; feet of a brownish flesh-colour ; 

 claws brown. Variations : Sometimes the face and upper part 

 of the throat are red ; the edge of wings bright yellow ; the red 

 spot on the throat is sometimes wanting. Special indications : 

 The red band on the forehead, the blue covert feathers, and 

 the blue bend of the wing ; no red spot in the wings. Size 

 about that of a jackdaw (length, ISjin. ; wings, G^in. to 7in. ; 

 tail, 3^in. to ^^in.). The traveller Moritz observed them at 

 Porto Rico, and, according to his account, they do not differ in any 

 way from the habits of all their larger congeners. They are 

 said to lay waste the maize fields, frequenting them in flocks. 

 When taken from the nest, and brought up by women, they 

 are said to learn to imitate every possible tone of men or 

 animals. They may be reckoned among the most common 



